We want to give a “Thank You for Your Service” to Amarillo’s own Aviation Electrician’s Second-Class Tristan Garza who is assigned to the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron. In the photo Triston is inspecting the rotors of an MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of the USS America. Triston serves The America Expeditionary Strike Group, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit team is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The USS America is an amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy and the lead ship of her class. The fourth U.S. warship to be named for the United States of America, she was delivered in spring of 2014, replacing Peleliu of the Tarawa class. Her mission is to act as the flagship of an expeditionary strike group or amphibious ready group, carrying part of a Marine expeditionary unit into battle and putting them ashore with helicopters and V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, supported by F-35B Lightning II aircraft and helicopter gunships.

The ship's design is based on USS Makin Island, but to allow more room for aviation facilities she does not have a well deck, and has smaller medical spaces. With a displacement of 45,000 tons, she is as large as the aircraft carriers of many other countries' navies, and can fulfill similar missions when configured with 20 F-35B strike fighters.

Thank YOU Triston for your loyal service.

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